Fulcrum-block for brake-beams.



PATENTED Nov. s, 1903.

R. P. LAMONT.

FULGRUM BLOCK FOR BRAKE BEAMS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1903.

NO MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 3, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT P. LAMONT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SIMPLEX RAIL- WAY APPLIANCE COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATIONv OF FULCRUM-BLOCK FOP BRAKE-BEAMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,004, dated November 3, 1903.

Application filed August 25, 1903. Serial No. 170,689. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT P. LAMONT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Fulcrum-Block for Brake-Beams, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the beams for operating the brakes upon railway-cars and the like, and particularly to the means for attaching the said beams pivotally to the brakelever. Its objects are to provide a fulcrumblock made integrally in one piece and yet easily attachable to and removable from the brake-beam without slipping over the ends, to provide a fulcrum-block which has abutments upon the rear part of the beam, so as to utilize the entire strength of the beam and does not depend upon the shearing resistance of rivets for holding it in place, and to generally improve the structure of brake-beam fulcrum-blocks. These objects, together with otheradvantages which will hereinafter appear, I attain by means of the construction illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a brake-beam, showing my improved fulcrum-block placed thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the block and a cross-section of the beam having the said block applied thereto, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the fulcrum-block as seen looking upward in Fig. 2.

The railway practice has developed great objections to the two-piece fulcru m-blocks, because they work loose, are not rigid, and are liable to come off. On the other hand, the one-piece blocks as ordinarily made require to be placed upon the beam by slipping them over the end of the same and are therefore inconvenient to attach or remove. Another objection to both of these forms is that they fail to utilize the entire strength of the brake-beam and depend upon the shear of the rivets or bolts for their hold. I overcome these difficulties and others by forming the fulcrum-block preferably of malleable castiron and made in one piece, the seat of the block 7being madeintegral with the projecting arms 8, which have the perforations for the pivot-pin, and being provided also with rearwardly-extending arms 9, which may be sprung open to go over the flanges 5 and 6 of the beam, and are provided with inturned or hooked ends to engage the rear flange 6, as shown in Fig. 2. The sides 9 will thus transmit the pull upon the f ulcrum-block to the rear side of the beam. They are held securely in place by [means of the rivet 11, which passes through the two sides and through the Web 4 of the beam, and are spaced by means of the washers or sleeves 10, as will be apparent from Fig. 2.

It will be understood, of course, that the block may be made of forging; but I [ind that malleable casting is sufficiently strong and also gives sufficient flexibility to the arms 9 to enable them to spring over the flanges, so

that the block may be easily put on and re-' moved when the rivet 11 is taken out. The projecting arms 8, which carry the pivot-pin, are therefore integral with each other and with the arms 9 and transmit the same to the rear of the brake-beam, and the rivets 11 do not have to stand any shearing strains.

Other advantages of the device will readily occur to those familiar with its use.

Having thus described myinvention and its use, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. An integral brake-beam fulcrum-block having two arms extending around the sides of the beam and engaging the rear flange thereof, and means for retaining said arms from spreading.

2. A brake-beam fulcrum-block formed of an integral casting and provided with two arms for the pivot-pin and two extended arms embracing the rear edges of the brake-beam and held thereto by a single rivet through the web.

In testimony whereof I have hereunder signed my name in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

- ROBERT P. LAMONT.

Witnesses:

PAUL CARPENTER, CHAs. H. EBER'I. 

